I'm a college student and I was just wondering if anyone else has trouble dating and or having any sort of social life while dealing with IBS? Most of the time I have good days, but other times I have constant stomach pain and just want to stay inside.

I have learned over the years what foods to avoid and what not, but IBS still runs my life. I hate that I worry so much about whether or not I'll have to use the bathroom on dates, or simply when i hang out with my friends.

Does anyone have any advice for me? I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks
P.S. this is kind of random, but once in awhile i do like to have a couple drinks with my friends but the next day my stomach always acts up. Are there any alcoholic beverages that aren't too harsh on the stomach?

if you break your own rules about achohol you will suffer.You should also look at your food intake which could be a contributory factor to your IBS.You are the only person who will be able to get to grips with your own IBS.Go well.

I too feared what effect this would have on my social life, but I learned what I need to do to keep my symptoms at bay. It may take awhile, but after that time you will learn what is best for you to have a good time and not suffer from IBS symptoms.

I am a 44 year old female with IBS/Panic/Anxiety. I feared a social life like you for many many years. I let my IBS and other conditions RUN my life completely to the point of Agoraphobia. I couldn't even go out of my house! Please don't let that happen to you.

I've been on many many medications over the years, therapy, changed diets, lowered stress you name it. I found that my dr.'s were treating my panic and anxiety but not my IBS. It was the IBS that brought on the other conditions. I am only being treating for IBS now and am happy to say that after 19 years I am panic and anxiety attack free. I take Bently twice a day for the IBS.

I am now able to get up and get out of the house each and every day. I have a full time job away from home now. I even have a social life! I used to be afraid to go anywhere for fear that I would need a bathroom. I wouldn't go places that I didn't know where the bathroom was. I wouldn't put myself in situations where I might have to wait in line at a bathroom. Just pretty much wouldn't go anywhere. I stopped going to family functions to my kids' ball games, school plays etc for my fears. I finally decided when I started the Bentyl that I would just go and do what I wanted to do. And I am happy to report that it worked wonders for me. The fears that I had about leaving my home caused so much more stress than my IBS could stand. I have very minimal problems with IBS anymore. Yes I have flare ups. Sometimes just my belly hurting/cramping/gurgling. Other times I do need to run to the bathroom maybe even a couple of times. But I have taken the attitude that I'm not alone, I'm not the only one that has this problem and I quit letting it embarass me if I had to.

Watch for your trigger foods that may cause you stomach discomfort. Avoid any unnecessary stress, get regular sleep each night. You didn't mention if you took any medication or not. I'm so glad the dr. finally put me on the Bentyl. After all these years I'm finally feeling free again.

Best of luck to you. Your too young not to get a hold of this now and enjoy your life. Don't sit back and wait for a "bad day". Get out there and just enjoy!!!!

ps 2 years ago I divorced after 20+ years of marriage. My conditions had a hand in that as well. But I am happy to report that I am dating. I am going places with him that I never thought I'd be able to go. I am traveling by car for over 3 hour journey's and I have even flown in an airplane! Nothing I would have ever done!

In my opinion, beer is the worst. It can create havoc even for people who don't normally have IBS symptoms! Next would be mixed drinks, I think not so much for the liquor but more for what is mixed in with it like soft drinks, fruit juice, etc. The easiest on my stomach I have found is white wine (not red, I repeat, NOT RED!).

I realize that we as IBS sufferers do need to be aware of our triggers, but we all should be able to have some fun once in a while. Cheers!

i just want to let everyone know , im a 29yr old guy single with a good social life. For the past year i have had many test and no doctor could give me answer except i now have IBS hmmm great..... i was getting depressed i stopped wanting to meet girls cause 24hrs aday i had loud gurgles coming from my guts and what follows that. , my large intestines were out of control it was embarrasing i know other people have worse inflictions then this but i couldnt handle it. i tried everything fasting , every herbal thing , change of diet nothing helped. i read that many forums with people with the same problem no answers !!! till 3 days ago when i read a forum that some guy said CALCIUM, well i was having a bad day and willing try it , i went down to woolworths and got a bottle of calcium , i took 3 tabs over the day and my god !!!! it stopped the first time in one year my guts stopped gurgling it didnt even feel real. im on day 3 now and i have the odd gurgle noise and thats it, i cant even remember but thats probably normal and i can live with that , so guys after my big rambling response CALCIUM saved my sanity . everyone with IBS should try CALCIUM supplements

Bridgett, if you are reading this, could you tell me how the Bentyl allowed you to live freely again? Did it stop the diarrhea urgency? I could have written your post, same thing...I can't go anywhere by car, train, always fearful and of course, the fear brings on the diarrhea, vicious circle. Do you have any side effects from Bentyl? The literature scares me enough to not want to try it, double vision, etc. Any information you can tell me would be so appreciated.

Susan. I have had nothing but good things to report since I started the Bentyl. I had been taking medications for panic/anxiety/depression etc. for years but never anything specifically for the IBS. Due to loss of insurance the medications were just too expensive for me. We decided to go off the meds and see how things went. Within two weeks I was not feeling good again on a daily basis. Upset stomache, cramps, gurgling, urgent need to go to the bathroom. I went back to the dr. and after testing showed nothing was wrong the dr. chose to begin treating the IBS with the Bentyl.

I've been taking this now since the beginning of June. I have been doing wonderful. The only side effect that I've noticed is that once in a while I'll get constipated but it's not bad enough to make me want to stop taking Bentyl. It was prescribed for me 3 times a day. However, due to the constipation I take 2 a day, one to start my day and one in the late afternoon. I still get constipation but it's not anything major. I feel good again. I haven't been nauseaus anymore. I'm not in the bathroom 1/2 the morning anymore and I'm not having daily episodes of cramps/urgency to "go". This medication along with the attitude I took about not letting my IBS control me anymore has worked wonders for me.

Like I said in my post...I'm living again. I go and do what I want each and every day now. I leave my house every day whether I have gone to the bathroom or not and that is something with the IBS I could never do. I feel really good each and every day and am going out to dinner again, going to work every day, traveling by car and even airplane. I am back to going to the get together's with family and friends this summer. I have been hiking through caves, I've been on 3 hour road trips in the car (which I might add I do on a regular basis now), without thinking about how I"ve had to live all these years I just go and do whatever I want.

Bentyl not only helped with the urgency to "go", it helped with the over all feeling of being sick. After I realized that I was feeling better I just let myself go back out into the world. During these past two months on Bentyl I think I've only had three "episodes" and to me this is just wonderful. It's like not having any episodes at all considering my IBS was ruining my life. And I will definitely take the occasional constipation over the alternative. Not enough of a side effect to make me want to go off the Bentyl.

Good luck to you Susan. I hope you are able to have the success that I have. Let us know what you decide to do. Oh BTW, I take 20mg tablets twice a day.